2007–08 Phoenix Suns season

The 2007–08 Phoenix Suns season was their 40th season in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The season was seen as the end of the "Seven Seconds or Less" era, after four-time All-Star Shawn Marion was traded midseason to the Miami Heat for big man Shaquille O'Neal.[1] The Suns failed to advance past the first round of the playoffs for the first time since re-signing Steve Nash in 2004, losing to the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs in five games in the First Round, which led to the departure of head coach Mike D'Antoni.

2007–08 Phoenix Suns season
Head coachMike D'Antoni
General managerSteve Kerr
PresidentSteve Kerr
Owner(s)Robert Sarver
ArenaUS Airways Center
Results
Record55–27 (.671)
PlaceDivision: 2nd (Pacific)
Conference: 6th (Western)
Playoff finishFirst Round
(Lost to Spurs 1–4)
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionFSN Arizona, KUTP
RadioKTAR
Players warming up prior to a January 2008 Suns road game versus the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Offseason

Forward Shawn Marion was set to earn $36 million over the next two seasons, putting the Suns over the salary cap next season and fueling speculations that he, one of the key Suns, may be traded during the offseason.

On June 6, former TNT analyst and NBA three-point specialist Steve Kerr was appointed Suns' General Manager and President of Basketball Operations. Kerr is close to team owner Robert Sarver and University of Arizona head men's basketball coach Lute Olson (Kerr's college coach); Kerr was also a part of the Sarver-led investment group that purchased the franchise from Jerry Colangelo.

On June 28, 2007, Spanish guard Rudy Fernández was taken 24th overall in the 2007 NBA Draft by the Suns, who subsequently traded the rights to the pick to the Portland Trail Blazers for cash. SF Alando Tucker of Wisconsin was taken with the 29th pick.

On July 5, 2007, the Suns came to an agreement with former Orlando Magic SF Grant Hill on a one-year $1.8 million deal with a player option for a second season at $2 million. In August 2007, Hill and his wife, R&B vocalist Tamia, purchased a home worth $3.78 million in the exclusive upscale community of Paradise Valley, adjacent to Scottsdale and home to several prominent local residents, including many star players for the Suns, Diamondbacks and the other local sports franchises.

On August 27, Maryland guard D. J. Strawberry (son of former Major League Baseball star Darryl Strawberry) signed a two-year contract with the Suns that included a guaranteed first year and a team option for the second season. Strawberry was drafted with the 59th selection in the second round of the 2007 NBA Draft; in the 2007 NBA Summer League he averaged a league-best 6.4 assists.

NBA draft
Main article: 2007 NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College / Club
1 24 Rudy Fernández Guard  Spain DVK Joventut Badalona
1 29 Alando Tucker Forward  United States Wisconsin
2 59 D. J. Strawberry Guard  United States Maryland

Season

The Suns won at least 50 games for the fourth straight season and faced the defending champion San Antonio Spurs in the playoffs for the third time in four years. Even with the presence of Shaquille O'Neal who was traded to the team just before the All-Star break for Shawn Marion, the Suns were yet again eliminated, this time in five games.[2] Just days after the loss Steve Kerr allowed Mike D'Antoni to pursue coaching positions elsewhere and he was subsequently signed as the head coach of the New York Knicks less than two weeks later.[3]

Roster
Roster listing
2007–08 Phoenix Suns roster
Players Coaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOB (YYYY-MM-DD)From
G 10 Barbosa, Leandro 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 202 lb (92 kg) 1982-11-28 Brazil
SG 19 Bell, Raja 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1976-09-19 Florida International
PF 3 Diaw, Boris 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1982-04-16 France
G/F 2 Giriček, Gordan 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1977-06-20 Croatia
SF 33 Hill, Grant 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1972-10-05 Duke
F 43 Johnson, Linton 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1980-06-13 Tulane
F/C 4 Marks, Sean 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 250 lb (113 kg) 1975-08-23 California
PG 13 Nash, Steve (C) 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 178 lb (81 kg) 1974-02-07 Santa Clara
C 32 O'Neal, Shaquille 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) 325 lb (147 kg) 1972-03-16 LSU
G/F 52 Piatkowski, Eric 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1970-09-30 Nebraska
F/C 54 Skinner, Brian 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 255 lb (116 kg) 1976-05-19 Baylor
F/C 1 Stoudemire, Amar'e 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 249 lb (113 kg) 1982-11-16 Cypress Creek HS
SG 8 Strawberry, D. J. 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 201 lb (91 kg) 1985-06-15 Maryland
F 29 Tucker, Alando 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1984-02-11 Wisconsin
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured

Roster
Last transaction: April 16, 2008

Regular season

Standings
Pacific Division W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Los Angeles Lakers 5725.695–30–1127–1412–4
x-Phoenix Suns 5527.671230–1125–1610–6
Golden State Warriors 4834.585927–1421–2010–6
Sacramento Kings 3844.4631926–1512–293–13
Los Angeles Clippers 2359.2843413–2810–315–11
# Western Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 r-Los Angeles Lakers5725.695–
2 y-New Orleans Hornets5626.6831
3 x-San Antonio Spurs5626.6831
4 y-Utah Jazz5428.6593
5 x-Houston Rockets5527.6712
6 x-Phoenix Suns5527.6712
7 x-Dallas Mavericks5131.6226
8 x-Denver Nuggets5032.6107
9 Golden State Warriors4834.5859
10 Portland Trail Blazers4141.50016
11 Sacramento Kings3844.46319
12 Los Angeles Clippers2359.28034
13 Minnesota Timberwolves2260.26835
14 Memphis Grizzlies2260.26835
15 Seattle SuperSonics2062.24437

Record vs. opponents
2007-08 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS CHA CHI CLE DAL DEN DET GSW HOU IND LAC LAL MEM MIA MIL MIN NJN NOH NYK ORL PHI PHO POR SAC SAS SEA TOR UTA WAS
Atlanta —0–32–22–21–21–11–10–41–10–21–21–11–12–03–12–22–01–30–24–02–23–11–10–21–10–21–11–21–12–2
Boston 3–0—3–14–02–22–01–12–11–12–03–02–02–02–04–04–02–04–01–14–01–23–11–12–02–02–02–03–11–10–3
Charlotte 2–21–3—1–31–30–21–10–31–10–23–12–01–11–13–11–22–01–30–21–21–31–20–22–00–20–22–02–21–11–3
Chicago 2–20–43–1—3–10–21–13–11–10–22–21–10–21–12–13–11–11–20–22–20–41–30–20–21–10–22–01–21–11–2
Cleveland 2–12–23–11–3—1–10–21–31–10–24–02–02–02–03–01–32–01–30–22–11–32–10–22–02–01–11–13–11–12–2
Dallas 1–10–22–02–01–1—1–21–13–13–11–14–01–34–02–01–13–01–12–22–02–01–12–12–22–11–33–11–12–20–2
Denver 1–11–11–11–12–02–1—0–23–12–21–13–10–34–02–01–14–02–01–21–11–11–12–22–22–12–23–12–01–32–0
Detroit 4–01–23–01–33–11–12–0–2–01–14–02–01–12–04–03–12–03–02–02–22–22–22–01–10–22–02–03–10–22–1
Golden State 1–11–11–11–11–11–31–30–2—2–21–13–12–24–02–02–03–11–11–21–11–12–02–22–23–12–12–12–00–32–0
Houston 2–00–22–02–02–01–32–21–12–2—2–03–02–13–11–12–03–02–02–22–01–10–22–24–02–22–24–01–11–22–0
Indiana 2–10–31–32–20–41–11–10–41–10–2—1–10–21–13–13–11–12–21–14–01–23–00–22–01–10–21–11–31–12–2
L.A. Clippers 1–10–20–21–10–20–41–30–21–30–31–1–0–43–11–11–11–32–00–42–00–20–21–30–33–10–32–11–11–30–2
L.A. Lakers 1–10–21–12–00–23–13–01–12–21–22–04–0—2–12–01–13–01–12–22–01–12–03–12–23–12–24–02–03–12–0
Memphis 0–20–21–11–10–20–40–40–20–41–31–11–31–2—2–00–22–22–00–42–01–10–20–30–32–21–33–10–20–31–1
Miami 1–30–41–31–20–30–20–20–40–21–11–31–10–20–2—2–21–11–20–21–30–40–31–10–21–10–21–10–41–10–4
Milwaukee 2–20–42–11–33–11–11–11–30–20–21–31–11–12–02–2—1–10–40–21–31–31–20–20–20–20–21–11–20–22–2
Minnesota 0–20–20–21–10–20–30–40–21–30–31–13–10–32–21–11–1—1–11–31–11–11–12–20–42–10–41–30–22–20–2
New Jersey 3–10–43–12–13–11–10–20–31–10–22–20–21–10–22–14–01–1—0–21–31–32–20–21–10–20–22–01–31–12–1
New Orleans 2–01–12–02–02–02–22–10–22–12–21–14–02–24–02–02–03–12–0—2–01–12–04–02–21–22–23–01–11–30–2
New York 0–40–42–12–21–20–21–12–21–10–20–40–20–20–23–13–11–13–10–2—1–31–30–20–20–20–20–21–31–12–1
Orlando 2–22–13–14–03–10–21–12–21–11–12–12–01–11–14–03–11–13–11–13–1—3–10–22–01–10–22–02–10–23–1
Philadelphia 1–31–32–13–11–21–11–12–20–22–00–32–00–22–03–02–11–12–20–23–11–3—1–11–11–11–12–01–30–22–2
Phoenix 1–11–12–02–02–01–22–20–22–22–22–03–11–33–01–12–02–22–00–42–02–01–1—3–04–03–14–02–01–22–0
Portland 2–00–20–22–00–22–22–21–12–20–40–23–02–23–02–02–04–01–12–22–00–21–10–3—1–30–32–21–13–11–1
Sacramento 1–10–22–01–10–21–21–22–01–32–21–11–31–32–21–12–01–22–02–12–01–11–10–43–1—1–33–11–12–20–2
San Antonio 2–00–22–02–01–13–12–20–21–22–22–03–02–23–12–02–04–02–02–22–02–01–11–33–03–1—2–11–12–22–0
Seattle 1–10–20–20–21–11–31–30–21–20–41–11–20–41–31–11–13–10–20–32–00–20–20–42–21–31–2—1–10–40–2
Toronto 2–11–32–22–11–31–10–21–30–21–13–11–10–22–04–02–12–03–11–13–11–23–10–21–11–11–11–1—0–21–3
Utah 1–11–11–11–11–12–23–12–03–02–11–13–11–33–01–12–02–21–13–11–12–02–02–11–32–22–24–02–0—2–0
Washington 2–23–03–12–12–22–00–21–20–20–22–22–00–21–14–02–22–01–22–01–21–32–20–21–12–00–22–03–10–2—

Game log
2007–08 game log
November: 12–4 (Home: 6–2; Road: 6–2)
December: 10–5 (Home: 3–1; Road: 7–4)
January: 16–8 (Home: 11–5; Road: 5–3)
February: 6–4 (Home: 5–3; Road: 1–1)
March: 11–5 (Home: 6–2; Road: 5–3)
April: 5–3 (Home: 3–1; Road: 2–2)

Playoffs
2008 playoff game log
First Round: 1–4 (Home: 1–1; Road: 0–3)
2008 playoff schedule

Player statistics
Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game

Season
Phoenix Suns statistics
Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Marcus Banks*24112.9.404.385.7500.81.0.3.35.2
Leandro Barbosa821229.5.462.389.8222.82.6.9.215.6
Raja Bell757535.3+.421.401.8683.72.2.7.411.9
Boris Diaw821928.1.477.317.7444.63.9.7.58.8
Gordan Giriček*22020.1.497.380.941#2.31.6.4.18.8
Grant Hill706831.7.503.317.8675.02.9.9+.813.1
Linton Johnson*608.8.500.500^.2.20.5.0.22.5
Shawn Marion*474736.4+.526.347.7139.9+2.12.0+1.515.8
Sean Marks1906.8.535.250.6321.90.2.2.53.1
Steve Nash818134.3.504.470^.906#3.511.1.7.116.9
Shaquille O'Neal*282828.7.611†..51310.6+1.7.51.212.9
Eric Piatkowski1607.1.364.4231.000#0.80.6.0.12.4
Brian Skinner66012.8.465.667^.5243.60.2.31.23.3
Amar'e Stoudemire797933.9.590†.161.8059.11.5.82.125.2
D. J. Strawberry3308.2.315.240.4740.80.9.4.22.2
Alando Tucker608.0.364.250.8331.30.0.0.23.7
* – Stats with the Suns.


+ – Minimum 70 games played or 2000 minutes, 800 rebounds, 125 steals.


† – Minimum 300 field goals made.


^ – Minimum 55 three-pointers made.


# – Minimum 125 free throws made.

Playoffs
Phoenix Suns statistics
Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Leandro Barbosa5128.6.345.222.9094.01.8.6.010.4
Raja Bell5543.0.568.650.8135.62.2.4.213.6
Boris Diaw5235.6.547.000.5005.64.6.6.814.6
Gordan Giriček5016.0.333.2501.000#1.40.4.4.03.4
Grant Hill3222.7.455.1.000#5.31.0.7.33.7
Sean Marks103.0...0.00.0.0.00.0
Steve Nash5536.6.457.300.917#2.87.8.4.216.2
Shaquille O'Neal5530.0.440..5009.21.01.02.615.2
Eric Piatkowski102.0...0.00.0.0.00.0
Brian Skinner405.3.500..5000.80.0.0.82.0
Amar'e Stoudemire5540.8.485.250.6339.00.41.42.423.2
D. J. Strawberry105.0.000.000.1.00.0.0.00.0
# – Minimum 10 free throws made.

Awards and records

Transactions

The Suns were involved in the following transactions during the 2007–08 season.

Trades
July 11, 2007 To Phoenix Suns----Cash considerations To Portland Trail Blazers----James Jones and draft rights to Rudy Fernández
July 20, 2007 To Phoenix Suns----Second round draft pick (2008) To Seattle SuperSonics----Kurt Thomas and 2 first round picks (2008, 2010)
February 6, 2008
 To Phoenix Suns ----Shaquille O'Neal To Miami Heat ----Shawn Marion & Marcus Banks

Free agents
PlayerFormer team
Grant HillOrlando Magic
Gordan GiricekPhiladelphia 76ers
PlayerNew team
Pat BurkeGolden State Warriors (was released and sent to Khimki BC)

See also

References
  1. "Simmons: Farewell to the S.S.O.L." espn.go.com.
  2. Spurs win Game 5 to win first-round series against Suns, Associated Press, April 30, 2008
  3. D’Antoni accepts offer to become Knicks coach, Associated Press, May 10, 2008
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